According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,814.28% higher in 2025 versus 1940 (a $214,085.25 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.53% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $11,800 in the year 1940 would cost $225,885.25 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.75% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by -0.56%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1940-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $11,800 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $11,800.00 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $12,248.10 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $13,293.67 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $13,210.69 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $13,194.09 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $13,194.09 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $13,990.72 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $15,313.32 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $17,075.08 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $18,351.73 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $18,824.08 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $20,030.51 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $21,351.83 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $21,964.62 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $21,645.46 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $21,383.75 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $21,766.74 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $22,979.55 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $23,739.15 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $24,722.17 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $24,715.78 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $24,996.65 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $25,520.07 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $25,660.50 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $26,043.49 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $26,471.17 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $26,847.78 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $27,613.76 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $28,494.64 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $29,592.56 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $31,111.76 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $32,745.86 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $33,128.85 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $34,175.70 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $38,005.63 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $41,573.84 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $45,710.16 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $48,933.68 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $51,225.25 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $58,527.64 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $68,951.42 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $77,300.66 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $80,485.88 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $82,407.23 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $86,064.81 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $88,337.23 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $84,903.06 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $87,469.11 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $90,169.21 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $94,682.14 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $100,005.73 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $102,756.90 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $105,003.79 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $108,176.24 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $111,444.44 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $115,433.95 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $118,689.39 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $119,723.47 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $117,463.81 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $119,825.60 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $127,236.50 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $128,002.49 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $126,847.13 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $130,747.27 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $135,343.18 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $144,311.59 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $150,082.01 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $153,251.97 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $162,270.17 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $148,746.70 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $160,483.26 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $176,224.95 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $180,350.29 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $180,411.89 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $179,190.08 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $165,188.89 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $161,726.07 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $167,262.16 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $174,812.22 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $174,318.22 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $167,070.60 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $191,403.14 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $221,005.08 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $221,543.24 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $224,619.25 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $225,885.25 | 0.56%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Transportation:
| Year | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| CPI | 14.200 | 14.267 | 14.560 | 14.620 | 14.300 | 14.220 | 14.760 | 16.020 | 15.920 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.860 | 18.454 | 20.577 | 22.115 | 22.685 | 24.138 | 25.731 | 26.469 | 26.085 | 25.769 | 26.231 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.785 | 30.123 | 30.754 | 30.923 | 31.385 | 31.900 | 32.354 | 33.277 | 34.338 | 35.662 | 37.492 | 39.462 | 39.923 | 41.185 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.085 | 58.969 | 61.731 | 70.531 | 83.092 | 93.154 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.715 | 106.454 | 102.315 | 105.408 | 108.662 | 114.100 | 120.515 | 123.831 | 126.538 | 130.362 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.031 | 144.277 | 141.554 | 144.400 | 153.331 | 154.254 | 152.862 | 157.562 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.862 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.664 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 270.685 | 272.211 |